10 Azure Pipeline Best Practices

Azure Pipelines is a cloud-based Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) service that helps you automate the building, testing, and deployment of your code projects.

In this article, we will discuss 10 best practices for using Azure Pipelines. By following these best practices, you can optimize your use of Azure Pipelines and ensure that your CI/CD process is as efficient and effective as possible.

1. Use the YAML syntax

The YAML syntax is more expressive than the classic editor, which means that you can do more with less code. This results in fewer errors and makes it easier to maintain your pipelines.

It’s also worth noting that the YAML syntax is now the recommended way to author Azure Pipelines. So if you’re not using YAML yet, now is the time to start!

2. Create a separate pipeline for each branch

When you have a single pipeline for all of your branches, it’s difficult to know which commit introduced a regression. This is because the commits from different branches are intermingled in the same pipeline.

But if you have a separate pipeline for each branch, then it’s easy to see which commit introduced a regression, because the commits are not intermingled.

It’s also easier to manage permissions when you have a separate pipeline for each branch. For example, you can give developers access to their own branch pipeline, but not to other branch pipelines.

Finally, having a separate pipeline for each branch makes it easier to run parallel builds.

3. Keep your pipelines small and focused

When you have a lot of code changes going into your application, it can be tempting to try and build one “uber-pipeline” that does everything. However, this quickly becomes unmanageable, and you’ll find yourself spending more time maintaining the pipeline than actually using it.

Instead, focus on building small, focused pipelines that each do one thing well. This will make your pipelines easier to understand and maintain, and will also make it easier to troubleshoot issues when they arise.

4. Avoid using tasks directly in your pipeline

When you use a task in your pipeline, it’s difficult to change or update that task without affecting the entire pipeline. For example, if you need to update the version of the Azure CLI used in a task, you would have to update the task and then update every single pipeline that uses that task.

Instead, it’s better to create a separate YAML file for each task and then reference those files from your pipeline. This way, you can update the task without affecting the pipeline.

5. Use variables to reduce duplication

When you have duplicate code in your Azure Pipeline, it’s difficult to manage and maintain. For example, if you need to update the version of a tool that’s being used, you would need to update each instance of that tool in your pipeline. This can quickly become unmanageable, especially as your pipeline grows in complexity.

Variables help to reduce duplication by allowing you to define a value once and reference it multiple times throughout your pipeline. This makes it much easier to manage your pipeline, as you only need to update the variable definition rather than each individual instance.

It’s also important to use variables in your Azure Pipeline for secrets, such as passwords and API keys. By using variables, you can encrypt these secrets so that they’re not stored in plain text in your pipeline.

6. Break up long running jobs into stages

When you have a long running job, it can be difficult to troubleshoot what went wrong if the job fails. By breaking up the job into stages, you can more easily identify which stage failed and why. Additionally, you can set up each stage to run on a different agent pool, which can help improve performance.

Finally, by breaking up a long running job into stages, you can parallelize the job so that it completes faster.

7. Use triggers where possible

Triggers give you the ability to automatically start a pipeline run when an event occurs, such as when code is pushed to a certain branch or a PR is created. This means that you don’t have to remember to manually start runs every time there’s a change, which can save you a lot of time and effort.

What’s more, triggers can also help to ensure that your pipelines are always up-to-date by automatically starting runs when new changes are made. This is especially important for long-running pipelines that might not be regularly updated, as it can help to avoid any potential issues that might arise from using outdated code.

8. Don’t forget about security

The cloud is a great place to store your data and applications, but it’s also a great place for hackers to target. That’s why it’s important to make sure your Azure Pipeline is secure.

There are a few things you can do to help secure your Azure Pipeline:

– Use strong passwords for all your accounts
– Enable two-factor authentication
– Keep your software up to date
– Use a VPN when working remotely
– Backup your data regularly

By following these best practices, you can help keep your Azure Pipeline safe from potential attacks.

9. Make use of templates

When you first start using Azure Pipelines, it’s tempting to create a new pipeline for each and every one of your projects. After all, it’s easy enough to do, and you can always just duplicate an existing pipeline and modify it as needed, right?

Wrong.

Creating a new pipeline for each project might seem like the easy way to get started, but it quickly becomes unmanageable. Not only do you have to keep track of all of those pipelines, but you also have to make sure they’re all up-to-date and consistent with each other.

Instead, you should use templates. Templates allow you to define a pipeline once, and then reuse it across multiple projects. Not only does this save you time, but it also ensures that all of your pipelines are consistent with each other.

There are two ways to create templates:

1. Use the Azure DevOps Marketplace
2. Create your own custom template

Both approaches have their own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to choose the approach that makes the most sense for your needs.

If you decide to use the Azure DevOps Marketplace, you’ll be able to take advantage of the many pre-built templates that are available. This is a great option if you’re looking for a quick way to get started with templates.

However, if you want more control over your templates, or if you can’t find a template that meets your needs, you can always create your own custom template. Creating a custom template gives you complete control over what goes into your template, and allows you to tailor it specifically to your needs.

10. Automate everything!

When you’re dealing with cloud infrastructure, there are so many potential points of failure. If you’re manually provisioning and configuring resources, it’s only a matter of time until something goes wrong. Automation eliminates the need for manual intervention, which reduces the chances of human error.

Not only does automation improve reliability, but it also saves time. Once you have your Azure Pipeline set up, it will take care of everything for you. You can focus on other tasks while it runs in the background.

Finally, automating your Azure Pipeline makes it easier to scale. As your needs grow, you can simply add more steps to the pipeline without having to worry about breaking anything.